In an exciting turn of events, the Nepal national men’s cricket team is gearing up for a thrilling and jam-packed schedule from June to November. With multiple tournaments and qualifiers on the horizon. The team is set to showcase their skills on the international stage against ICC’s full members.
First on their agenda is the highly anticipated World Cup Qualifier, scheduled to take place in Zimbabwe during June and July. As Nepal battles for a spot in the prestigious Cricket World Cup, the team’s preparation matches leading up to the qualifier are yet to be finalized. West Indies, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Netherlands, Oman, UAE and Scotland are the other nations set to compete in the tournament.
Following the World Cup Qualifier, Nepal will shift their focus to the ACC Emerging Asia Cup in July. This tournament will witness Nepal fighting it out against the A teams India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, as well as Oman and UAE. The venue for the event is yet to be confirmed.
September brings another exciting challenge for the Nepalese cricketers as they face off against cricketing powerhouses India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup. Originally set to be hosted in Pakistan in the month of September, the venue for the tournament is likely to be changed due to ongoing disputes between India and Pakistan. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will take on each other in the other group of the competition.
The months of October and November mark the much-anticipated Cricket World Cup 2023. Nepal’s participation in the tournament is still uncertain, as their fate will be determined by the World Cup Qualifiers taking place in Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, the Nepalese team will compete in the Asian region’s qualification tournament for the T20 World Cup 2024 as a host nation. The tournament is set to be played on 1-10 November, with eight teams competing for two spots in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Two teams from the sub-regional tournament will be joining Nepal, Oman, Hong Kong, UAE, Bahrain, and Singapore in the regional final.
Interestingly, if Nepal secures one of the two remaining spots in the Cricket World Cup, it will result in a clash with the Asian regions’ qualification tournament for the T20 World Cup. This implies that the ICC has seemingly anticipated the scenario where Nepal, UAE, and Oman, who are set to compete in the regional qualifier, might not qualify for the World Cup 2023 in India.
Sandip Poudel is Cricnepal’s correspondet and Tweets at @PietersenSandip
